Plumbing Check... Pool Dig Next week.

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M

Myburneraccount

Well-known member
Apr 12, 2022
52
Dallas
Pool Size
10000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Truclear / Ei
Pretty basic pool. Dig starts this weekend and plumbing next week. Just now learning the basics. I asked for 2" rigid PVC throughout.

Are the return lines a concern given the position of the skimmer?

Should I swap the skimmer and the light position in the deep end?

What is the marking 3' to the left of the skimmer?

Thank you in advance!
 
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Personally, I would like more returns than that (especially at least 1 on the opposite side of the pool), and I would consider going up to 2.5 or 3" suction lines especially if using a variable speed pump. I think a rectangular pool should have a minimum of 4 returns, just to make sure water gets directed to all corners and provide some circular flow to run it by the skimmer. Only 2 returns seems awfully light to me. In my freeform pool, I have 5 returns for the pool alone, and 2 skimmers.

I'm not a fan of the main drain going to the skimmer & requiring a skimmer UFO, but I don't know the local codes for you. They might require that to make sure the pump doesn't go dry if the water level to the skimmer gets too low. Or the builder may just be trying to save pipe and labor. I have separate lines and prefer that, but others may have the opposite opinion.

The thing close to your skimmer is probably an auto-fill. They don't show a water line to it, but I would suspect that's what it is.

Maybe some of the industry guys will jump in and give you their 2 cents.
 
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I would add at least 1 more return on the other side of the pool... and probably 2 and put them on a separate line from the 2 in the drawing.

I would have the main drains and skimmer on separate runs all the way to the pump pad with a valve on each or a 3 way valve that you can mix how much comes from each one.
 
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#1 are their spillways on the spa and if so on what walls?
#2 I would request 2 more return lines and location would depend on spillways of spa.
#3 Skimmer location should be determined by wind direction.
#4 Marking left of skimmer is the location of the auto fill canister.
#5 Consider moving the light location in the deep end to the same wall as the skimmer.
I would also consider having a step in the spa it’s designed now for a sit and spin.
Depending on what side of your house you would be looking at your pool from I would consider moving the location of the spa light.
 
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AQUA~HOLICS said:
#1 are their spillways on the spa and if so on what walls?
#2 I would request 2 more return lines and location would depend on spillways of spa.
#3 Skimmer location should be determined by wind direction.
#4 Marking left of skimmer is the location of the auto fill canister.
#5 Consider moving the light location in the deep end to the same wall as the skimmer.
I would also consider having a step in the spa it’s designed now for a sit and spin.
Depending on what side of your house you would be looking at your pool from I would consider moving the location of the spa light.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I am attaching a new image with sight lines from the house in Orange. Returns are in Green. Suction in red. Currently, I asked for 2" pvc throughout for my variable speed pump. Along with the suggestions above, are there more efficient diameters?

1. There is no spillway but the two spa Dang walls are designed to allow water to flow from spa to pool.
2. Is the flow from spa to pool enough to push debris towards deep end (far right). If so, would two return additional return lines be best positioned where the blue arrows are located?
3. For most of the year the wind comes from the West (left to right on image) but we also have a fair amount of wind from the North (top to bottom). Please see image. More importantly, the narrow courtyard, about 22' between house and 6' block wall, create a slight swirling effect.
4. Does it matter which side the auto fill is on? It's current location, along with the skimmer is the primary entry to the house.
5. Would it make sense to swap the skimmer and light location? The master bedroom looks across the pool directly at that light. PB said a cover could be used to direct light down.
 
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I like your idea of swapping the skimmer and light locations, based on the wind and sight lines. Your builder won’t like the extra piping, I’m sure. The auto-fill is where it is because of: a) proximity to house water line, which they will have to tap into for fill water supply and (b) proximity to the skimmer. Auto-fills are often set near a skimmer and the equalization port (water connection between pool and reservoir to make sure reservoir is same level as pool water) run to the skimmer instead of putting an extra hole in the pool wall.

Finally, an interesting link to read for why I suggest going to 2.5” suction lines. 6 Basic Rules of Pump Piping
 
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Not quite sure how a spa Dang walls allow water from the spa to the pool, can you explain in more detail?
Can’t comment on the location of the two extra return lines until I understand how the spa water enters the pool and the effects it will have.
Skimmer location needs to be where the most prevailing winds stop in your pool and two thirds location on that wall. If at all possible you want the skimmer and auto fill on the house side of the pool so when you are looking at the pool from the house you don’t see them at the tile line. This also goes for the lights in the spa and pool, you want the light shining away from the house and not to use a cover to direct it in the right direction.
 
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Did they give you an elevation drawing? Is the spa raised? If you meant "spa dam walls" maybe it got fixed to "dang". That sounds like a spillover to me, on the walls that are shared with the pool.
 
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AQUA~HOLICS said:
Not quite sure how a spa Dang walls allow water from the spa to the pool, can you explain in more detail?
Can’t comment on the location of the two extra return lines until I understand how the spa water enters the pool and the effects it will have.
Skimmer location needs to be where the most prevailing winds stop in your pool and two thirds location on that wall. If at all possible you want the skimmer and auto fill on the house side of the pool so when you are looking at the pool from the house you don’t see them at the tile line. This also goes for the lights in the spa and pool, you want the light shining away from the house and not to use a cover to direct it in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Hi. I’m probably wrong but the water from the spa overflows into the pool. That’s how it was explained to me but as I learn more about plumbing that sounds incorrect
 
Myburneraccount said:
Hi. I’m probably wrong but the water from the spa overflows into the pool. That’s how it was explained to me but as I learn more about plumbing that sounds incorrect
Click to expand...
No, that sounds correct. That's what he was referring to as a "spillway". It is a pretty typical feature. The important thing is that it will influence how water will flow in the pool.
 
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jedigrover said:
Did they give you an elevation drawing? Is the spa raised? If you meant "spa dam walls" maybe it got fixed to "dang". That sounds like a spillover to me, on the walls that are shared with the pool.
Click to expand...
Just realized it autocorrected to dang. Apologies if my terminology is off. The two walls that separate spa from pool is fully tiled and the water flows over, not via channel. Sales person told me it goes from spa which is a few inches higher than pool, to pool and back to pump.

I thought spillway was more water feature but I see what he means now. First pool. Still learning 😳
 
AQUA~HOLICS said:
Not quite sure how a spa Dang walls allow water from the spa to the pool, can you explain in more detail?
Can’t comment on the location of the two extra return lines until I understand how the spa water enters the pool and the effects it will have.
Skimmer location needs to be where the most prevailing winds stop in your pool and two thirds location on that wall. If at all possible you want the skimmer and auto fill on the house side of the pool so when you are looking at the pool from the house you don’t see them at the tile line. This also goes for the lights in the spa and pool, you want the light shining away from the house and not to use a cover to direct it in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Apologies again for my uninformed comment earlier. Based on other comments in the thread, I believe the dam wall on my spa is a spillover as you mentioned on two sides. Assuming the wind blows from left to right with a slight swirl towards the bottom right corner, would the best location for the skimmer be on the right side wall towards the bottom?

Would there be any concerns from a single light moving to the wall where the skimmer is currently located (bottom)? I believe it is a Jandy Nicheless but not sure what the wattage is.

Thank you.
 
jedigrover said:
I like your idea of swapping the skimmer and light locations, based on the wind and sight lines. Your builder won’t like the extra piping, I’m sure. The auto-fill is where it is because of: a) proximity to house water line, which they will have to tap into for fill water supply and (b) proximity to the skimmer. Auto-fills are often set near a skimmer and the equalization port (water connection between pool and reservoir to make sure reservoir is same level as pool water) run to the skimmer instead of putting an extra hole in the pool wall.

Finally, an interesting link to read for why I suggest going to 2.5” suction lines. 6 Basic Rules of Pump Piping
Click to expand...
Pool builder said we could step up to 2.5 for spa but he recommended 2.0” for skimmer and main drain which would stay on same line. Returns are smaller I believe. Is this acceptable?
 

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